![]() ![]() where his natural skills shine", The Philadelphia Inquirer said that "Guarini displays an agile, attractive voice with good phrasing, supported by a sophisticated and funky backing ensemble." The album of reinvented jazz standards was described by Allmusic as "a successful reinvention. Guarini co-produced his second album Stranger Things Have Happened, independently released in December 2005 through his own production company, Justice Entertainment, Ltd. 2005–2007: Stranger Things Have Happened His performance (which included singing, dancing, acting, and playing guitar) landed Guarini an offer to continue the role in the original Broadway production, which he eventually declined. ![]() Guarini had a role in the 2004 pre-Broadway New York Stage and Film Powerhouse Theater workshop/presentation of the musical Good Vibrations at Vassar College. In December 2003 Guarini was dropped from RCA Records. The film was critically panned, while the album sold 146,000 copies. His eponymous album debuted in June 2003, coinciding with the single releases of the current second season American Idol top two finalists and the movie From Justin to Kelly, in which Guarini co-starred with Kelly Clarkson. Prior to the American Idol Tour, he was the only contestant asked to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show, on which Oprah Winfrey told him, "Justin, you have it." Soon after, Guarini signed with American Idol's 19 Management and secured a record deal with RCA. Idol judge Simon Cowell praised Guarini's performance in the show's first season, at one early audition telling him "Justin, you know, occasionally you're very privileged when you do a competition like this to hear somebody undiscovered who has a voice like yours", with Guarini ultimately becoming the runner-up to winner Kelly Clarkson in September 2002. He was also considering a contract offer from an independent record label, but the show's rules prohibited participants from having existing record contracts. I politely declined the offer of a role.". But, now I knew I was onto something, and I wasn't letting go. It was a dream almost come true at the time. Guarini wrote about his decision between the two offers in his exclusive 2008 blog for the television site, Fancast, stating, "I had attended master classes… I learned Zulu and Sotho phrases, as well as the music from the show. Shortly after being chosen for American Idol, he was offered a role in the Broadway production of The Lion King. He worked in New York nightclubs, and auditioned for New York Theatre before successfully auditioning for American Idol in April 2002. In addition to singing and stage performing, Guarini plays the piano, guitar, and banjo.Īfter studying vocal performance and theater studies at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Guarini later moved to New York City, where he attended the School for Film and Television. His high school and college theatre credits include the lead roles in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Little Prince, The Pirates of Penzance, The Taming of the Shrew, and Once on This Island. He was a director/performer at the Riverside Haunted Woods in Bridgeton Township, Pennsylvania, in 2001. The group released an independent album in 1999 with proceeds benefiting a music scholarship fund at Guarini's alma mater, Central Bucks High School East in Buckingham, Pennsylvania. Throughout his school years Guarini sang in school choirs, and from 1996 to 2000 was the lead soloist in an award-winning a cappella group named The Midnight Voices. After moving to Pennsylvania in 1985, he joined the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Boys Choir. Guarini's musical experience started at age four when he was accepted by the Atlanta Boy Choir. He attended Central Bucks High School East. ![]() Guarini was primarily raised by his mother and stepfather, physicist Jerry Guarini, in the Philadelphia suburb of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. His mother, Kathy Pepino Guarini, is Italian American, and was a journalist for WTVM TV in Columbus, and later for CNN. His father, Eldrin Bell, is African-American and is a former Atlanta, Georgia, Chief of Police, and former chairperson of the Clayton County Commission in Clayton County, Georgia. Justin Guarini (born Justin Eldrin Bell October 28, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter and actor who in 2002 was the runner-up on the first season of American Idol. ![]()
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